Luka Dončić says LeBron James reached out after leaving the Lakers

Luka Dončić said LeBron James reached out to him after James left the Los Angeles Lakers this summer, an early report of continued respect between two elite players who shared the court for more than a season’s worth of NBA games. Dončić’s comments, reported by Yahoo Sports, add human context to James’ offseason move and underline how former teammates can stay in contact even when rosters change quickly.

James departed Los Angeles after seven seasons and signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on a veteran minimum agreement. The reported deal is worth $7.9 million total over two seasons, a cost-controlled landing spot for a team hoping to blend playoff experience with its current core.

The relationship between the Lakers and Dončić’s game is not theoretical. Over the last 1.5 years of James’ tenure in Los Angeles, Dončić and James shared the court in 72 regular-season games. According to Yahoo Sports, the Lakers went 47-25 in those contests, a reference point that speaks to how productive the pairings were during that span, even as basketball is always shaped by matchups and roles.

In Dončić’s account, the message from James came as part of the emotional reset that follows a major departure. For a player like Dončić, who has frequently navigated the pressure of leading star-studded lineups, a direct check-in from a peer of James’ stature functions as more than a courtesy. It suggests the kind of player-to-player continuity that can matter when teams face each other repeatedly in the postseason.

The 76ers’ perspective is straightforward as well. James arriving on a veteran minimum is the type of transaction that aims to add on-court leverage and mentorship without sacrificing salary flexibility. While the exact on-court fit will be shaped by lineup construction and health, the foundational selling point is experience at the highest level and the ability to elevate half-court possessions.

For Dončić, the comments also land in the broader storyline of the modern NBA star network, where departures do not necessarily sever connections. The league’s top players often meet again across conferences, and familiarity can shape how quickly teams translate scouting into game plans when they do match up.

What to watch next is how quickly James establishes his routine with Philadelphia. Even without assuming any specific timetable for production, early chemistry typically shows up in ball-handling rhythms, defensive assignments, and how the offense uses his decision-making. Dončić’s remarks highlight the relationships behind those transitions, and they set a tone for how James’ new chapter may unfold.

If additional confirmation and details emerge through team or league communications, they could further clarify what was discussed between James and Dončić and how the 76ers are framing the role James will play within their rotation. For now, the takeaway is a clear one: the end of a Lakers era has not ended the connection between two players who have already shared meaningful NBA minutes.